“We have a history of using empty buildings in a creative way and we hope people will be inspired by the works inside.”

A huge coil of metal tubing, resembling an air-conditioning system, will take up the top floor of Rapid’s former home.

Created by Italian artist Rosa Barba, who now lives in Berlin, it will pipe in sounds of the city from outside.

Meanwhile, the building’s entire basement will be filled with three large-scale video installations by US artist Ryan Trecartin.

They will be presented within seating areas as if visitors are watching them from inside a living room.

The ground floor will be taken over by a number of international artists, creating live work.

They include Taiwanese-American Lee Mingwei, who will be inviting people to bring in an item of clothing that he will then mend in front of them, using different colours of thread to represent their personality.

Mr Biggs added: “When you walk past that side of Renshaw Street now it is usually silent but this will bring it to life.

“The idea that something will be happening behind every window is very exciting.”

The Scandinavian Hotel, on the corner of Duke Street and Berry Street, will also house art works. It will be used to screen three video pieces including Chilean-born Alfredo Jaar’s political work about the Rwandan genocide.

Korean artist Do-Ho Suh is recreating a full-size model of his childhood home in Seoul on a former bombsite in Duke Street.

Rapid Hardware moved to the former John Lewis building in Basnett Street in August 2009 and the Renshaw Street building was bought by Liverpool One developer Grosvenor.

In January Downing Developments and Liverpool City Council abandoned plans to renovate the Scandinavian Hotel.